Jehangir RashidEarly Times ReportSRINAGAR, Feb 7: Many government departments in the state are understaffed and Sheep & Animal Husbandry department is one of these departments. There is a tremendous shortage of staff in the Sheep & Animal Husbandry department.According to the figures available with Early Times, more than 1200 posts of Veterinary Assistant Surgeons (VASs) are vacant across the length and breadth of the state. The shortage of VASs can be easily gauged by the fact that 600 VASs man 2445 veterinary centres in Jammu & Kashmir. The figures point out that on an average one VAS mans more than three veterinary centres in the state."In the Kashmir valley 199 veterinarians discharge their duties in the Animal Husbandry department. At the same time 739 veterinary centres in the valley are being manned by paravets. In the Sheep Husbandry department less than 100 veterinarians are trying to manage the affairs and make the valley meat sufficient," read the figures.The picture is gloomy in the Jammu division as well with only 60 VASs discharging their responsibilities in the Sheep Husbandry department. The shortage of staff in the Sheep and Animal Husbandry department is seriously impacting the overall working of the department. Th

@Figures speak# The shortage of VASs can be easily gauged by the fact that 600 VASs man 2445 veterinary centres in JK. The figures point out that on an average one VAS mans more than three veterinary centres in the state.

s has led to a situation where-in Jammu & Kashmir lacks in proper development of these important sectors of livestock.At the same time Jammu & Kashmir Public Service Commission (J&K PSC) has landed in a soup as the state government has referred just 24 posts of VASs to the recruiting body. Although, the J&K PSC was scheduled to hold the examination for these posts on February 6 the same snowballed into a major controversy.Most of the candidates did not appear in the examination while voicing concern over the less number of posts referred to the J&K PSC by the department. Over the past two days veterinary doctors under the banner of Unemployed Veterinary Doctors Association (UVDA) have been carrying out protests against the state government and J&K PSC. The UVDA is demanding that 420 posts should be created in the department instead of 24 posts advertised. The Association said that in September 2012 it was agreed by the Planning department to create 420 posts and the same file was cleared in March 2015.The file as on date is held up at the Finance department under the file number ASH/PLAN-670/2007. Apart from this due to no holding of Departmental Promotion Committee (DPC) 220 posts of VASs are held by senior officers in the department.